www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Just back from a lovely family holiday to southern Spain. I spent a day in the Sierra Nevada and since returning home I have spent two evenings trying to identify the pictures of the butterflies I saw. I thought I was doing reasonably well, but I am a bit stumped by this one. Initially, I thought it was a Nevada Blue, Polyommatus golgus, but the markings are darker than the others I saw later in the day. On the other hand it doesn't seem to have enough black markings to be an Escher's Blue!
Sorry for the quality of the picture. My reason for wanting to know the ID for this individual is that it could be my 100th lifer!! If it turns out to be an Escher's Blue then the 100th honour will go to a Large Wall Brown!
Thanks for any help.
Nick

I'd prefer to see more of the hindwing underside, but it looks pretty good for Nevada Blue. I assume you were high up, probably over 2000m ?

M.

Thanks Mikhail. I am afraid that is the best picture I have of the underside! Yes, I was at about 2600 metres.

In that case I don't think there's any doubt about it.

M.

Hi Nick,

Have you posted any more pics./trip log on ukb? It would be good to see them

Russ

Brilliant, thanks Mikhail. I am pleased to have the Nevada Blue as my 100th species. I did see some definite sightings later that day, which were much more like the pictures in the books.

Russ, I will certainly put something in my personal diary or somewhere on the forum. I think that I have managed the ID of all of the other pictures, but it has taken a couple of evenings to sort through them. I think I identified 32 species on my visit, many of them new for me.